Chapter 122: Flag of Hao Tian! (8th补更)

The news of retreat spread like wildfire through the Military Camp. Dozens of soldiers, still half-asleep or nursing wounds in their tents, staggered out dazedly. When the junior commanders repeated the order aloud, their numb expressions slowly thawed, flickering with a fragile spark of life—only to be swallowed by a wave of wailing grief.

Many broke down sobbing. Others rushed straight to the vast Mound Grave, searching for the graves of fallen comrades—laughing through tears, then scooping handfuls of yellow earth from the tombs, tucking them into their armor, swearing to carry their bones back home.

"Reporting to the Commander!"

"The Red Character Battalion, 100,000-strong Blood Devastation Army, now reports 9,623 survivors—present and accounted for!"

"Please give orders!"

A middle-aged deputy commander from the Li Clan’s Illegitimate Branch stood before Li Hongzhuang, his voice raw and fierce. But his eyes betrayed him—glistening with unshed tears.

Li Hongzhuang’s face, pale as moonlight on snow, trembled slightly. Her gaze swept past the man, lingering on the gaunt, tear-streaked faces behind him—soldiers who had fought alongside her, trained by her hand. Her eyes finally settled on the distant Mound Grave.

Over ninety thousand souls now rested there.

All of them she had raised from raw recruits.

And the grave stretched farther than that—beyond the nine thousand, the battalions led by her third and sixth brothers also lay buried here, an endless sea of earth beneath a sky unmarked by mercy.

Even Li Hongzhuang—so long numb to sorrow—felt her eye sockets burn with unshed tears.

She steadied herself, drew in a deep breath, and roared:

"I declare! The Blood Devastation Army—today, we depart. We go home!"

The words—“Home...”—echoed across the field, reaching the ears of every one of the 9,632 survivors. All eyes filled with tears.

"All units, received!"

The three commanders, and every soldier, bellowed in unison.

They meant it—all of them. Even the dead. Even the fallen. Their heroic spirits would be carried home.

Finally… they could return.

Amidst the flood of emotion, one deputy stepped forward, bowed deeply, and asked:

"Commander… what about our reinforcements?"

"Reinforcements…" Li Hongzhuang turned to Li Hao beside her. "He is here to replace you."

The deputy froze. His body jolted.

Replace us… by a child?

"Commander… this—"

"No questions," Li Hongzhuang snapped, her voice sharp as steel. "Go. Get home before nightfall. The roads grow dangerous after dark."

The man hesitated, then nodded. He stared at Li Hao one more time—committing the boy’s face to memory.

The others heard. Shock turned to disbelief. After retreating from this desolate fortress, they were handing it over to a boy?

Some soldiers shouted in protest. Others declared they’d stay. But Li Hongzhuang remained silent, cold as stone. Under the barked commands of her lieutenants, they were driven away—packing up armor, gathering gear, and finally setting off.

Li Hao watched in silence as each soldier passed by. He inhaled the scent of dust and old blood clinging to their worn uniforms. Little White Fox sat quietly at his feet, still as a statue.

Ren Qianqian stood behind him, sword drawn, her heart pounding as she saw the scars, the rusted armor, the dulled blades. Her eyes burned red.

"Commander," another deputy asked, "aren’t you coming?"

Li Hongzhuang shook her head. "You go ahead. I’ll follow soon. Don’t wait for me."

She knew—if she said she’d stay, half the army would refuse to leave. Even if she pushed, they’d cling on. After years of fighting side by side, sharing blood and breath… how could one simply walk away?

The man hesitated, then glanced at Li Hao again. Still, he couldn’t fathom why a noble youth—clearly raised in luxury—was sent to garrison this forsaken city.

But Li Hongzhuang said nothing. They couldn’t guess. Military law was as steep as a mountain. Orders were to be carried out—without question.

As the last of the 9,000 departed, the camp fell into eerie silence. Empty. Hollow.

Only Li Hongzhuang, Li Hao, Ren Qianqian, and Little White Fox remained.

Li He was gone—vanished. He had told Li Hongzhuang in private: he would only intervene if Li Hao faced mortal danger. Otherwise, he would not interfere.

She had said nothing.

She had only learned from Li He about Li Hao’s connection to her seventh brother—nothing more. She hadn’t been involved. Her focus was on holding this isolated city.

Beyond that, Li He had delivered a message.

Emperor Yu’s realm was now aflame. Demon Beasts ran rampant across the land. The Heavenly Gate Pass… Emperor Yu had already begun to abandon it. For now, it was set aside—meant to be reclaimed when glory was restored.

If this fortress fell? No blame would fall on her.

If punishment came? It would be borne by Li Tiangang.

And Li Tiangang had already earned great merit in Yanbei. A few reprimands, a slight salary cut—that was all the punishment would be. A show for other officials. Nothing more.

In truth… this place had been abandoned.

No more reinforcements would come.

Li He had urged Li Hongzhuang to leave. She could escape. Her life was not worth losing here.

But leave?

Li Hongzhuang stared at the endless mound of graves, at the memory of her third and sixth brothers drinking and fighting here—heads rolling, blood staining the soil. Every inch of ground was soaked in their blood.

Emperor Yu wanted to abandon it. Her seventh brother had given up.

But she wouldn’t.

She inhaled deeply, steeled her heart, and stepped into the camp.

The soldiers had left, but not all tents had been taken down. Leaving some behind would serve as deception—making the Demon Beasts believe the army was still large and present.

"You can take any tent," Li Hongzhuang said casually, walking into the camp. "Conditions are simple. Since the city fell, there have been no common people here. Everyone was evacuated over ten years ago."

Li Hao nodded, scanning the area. His gaze settled on the distant, uneven mounds of the graveyard.

He led Ren Qianqian and Little White Fox toward them, walking slowly. Each mound bore a wooden plaque—names, titles, carved with care.

A cold wind swept across, biting through him.

"Are… these all the heroic martyrs who died here?" Ren Qianqian whispered, her face pale. She clutched her mouth, trembling.

She had seen countless graves before—but not this.

Not ten million.

The sheer scale was beyond comprehension.

Even Little White Fox, usually full of life, sat still at Li Hao’s feet, silent, watching.

Li Hao said nothing.

He had come here only to repay his blood debt.

When the three years were up… it would be over.

But now, seeing these countless fallen soldiers, he felt something stir within him.

Beyond repaying his debt… perhaps there was more.

In these next three years… he should do something.

But his cultivation was still too weak.

He was at the Heavenly Human Stage—powerful enough to found a sect within the inner realms. But out here, on this perilous frontier, he could be wiped out in an instant. He still relied on Old Feng’s secret protection.

Only when he reached the Three Immortal Realm would he truly be safe.

"My cultivation… is moving too slowly," Li Hao murmured, eyes dark with resolve.

Though fourteen years old and already at the Human-Heaven Stage—astonishing for any youth—it wasn’t enough.

He needed to grow stronger. Faster.

Li Hao inhaled deeply, left the graveyard, and entered the camp.

He searched the tents, but found no food or drink. As he passed by, he saw Li Hongzhuang sitting on a small mound marked with the words "Cangya City", polishing her sword.

"Senior Sister Hongzhuang," Li Hao called, approaching.

Li Hongzhuang raised an eyebrow, frowning at the boy.

"You should call me Aunt."

"I’m no longer of the Li Clan," Li Hao said.

Li Hongzhuang’s expression darkened. "What happened… to make things this way?"

Li Hao shook his head slightly. He wasn’t ready to speak of it.

"Night’s coming. Are you hungry? I’ll find something to eat."

"Night is coming," she warned, "Demon Beasts will be active. You should not wander off."

She knew Li He would protect him in secret—but she still didn’t want him taking risks.

Li Hao glanced up. The bright moon had risen. Stars began to appear in the sky.

He smiled, turned, and left the mound. He led Ren Qianqian and Little White Fox through the camp, drifting from tent to tent.

The tents were clean, but remnants remained—broken armor, rotting clothes, stinking rags.

Near the kitchen area, he dug through the rubble and found a few salt jars.

Smiling, he summoned his Spirit Soul, scanning the wilderness beyond.

Moments later, he sensed a Demon Creature.

He bent down, picked up a shard of broken sword blade, and flicked it like a skipping stone.

The fragment shot forward—ripping through the air—vanishing beyond thirty li. A sharp pop echoed. The Demon Creature’s head exploded.

Li Hao used his Control-Objects power to pull the corpse back.

It was a beast of about three tons—part pig, part lion, with jagged fangs and a cruel gaze.

He took Ren Qianqian’s side sword, used it as a cleaver, slit open the body, quickly removed the internal organs, then cut the meat into pieces.

"Qianqian, help build the fire."

"Okay."

After days of traveling with Li Hao, Ren Qianqian had grown used to assisting. She gathered dry wood, and soon, the campfire roared to life.

Li Hao finished preparing the Spirit Beast meat—selecting the best cuts, skewering them with sharpened sticks or fragments of spear shafts, and placing them over the flames.

He sprinkled salt and simple spices. As the oil sizzled and the scent of roasting meat filled the air, it was intoxicating.

While the meat cooked, Li Hao returned to a tent.

He paused at the one with black-and-yellow patterns. He pulled it open, then sliced through it with his sword, cutting out several even pieces of fabric.

Then, using fur from the beast, he wove a brush. Dipped it in the creature’s blood, and began painting on the fabric.

"What are you doing?" Li Hongzhuang, drawn by the scent, silently descended from the mound and appeared before the fire, watching Li Hao at work.

Li Hao looked up, smiled.

"Your Blood Devastation Army has retreated. Their banner has been taken away. I’m making a new battle flag."

"My banner wasn’t fully taken," Li Hongzhuang said. "Some pieces remain."

Li Hao smiled. "That’s yours. This war banner… is mine."

"…What?"

Li Hongzhuang stared.

At that moment, Li Hao finished writing.

He released his power—forcing the blood to dry on the fabric. Then, with a wave of his hand, he extended his Control-Objects ability into the jungle several li away, cutting down several trees and pulling them back.

They were quickly sharpened into poles.

He wrapped extra fabric around them, tied one end, and planted the other into the ground—upright.

A simple battle flag stood.

The fabric flapped in the night wind.

Two massive characters, written in Demon Beast blood, trembled and shimmered in the moonlight:

Hao Tian!

Li Hongzhuang stood frozen.

After a long silence, she turned her gaze to Li Hao.

"You’re… actually the Fifteen Li Stage?"

Li Hao shook his head slightly.

"I am the Heavenly Human Stage."

"…What?"

Her pupils contracted. She was stunned.

Heavenly Human Stage?

Li He hadn’t told her about Li Hao’s cultivation. Only mentioned a few events in the mansion.

But she had been on the frontier for years—cut off from internal news, consumed by guarding against Demon Beasts. Who had time to care about such things?

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end